Cosmetic applicator



NOV. 14, L PEPIN COSMETIC APPLICATOR Filed Aug. 17, 1959 United States Patent O M 3,008,476 COSMETIC APPLICATOR Joseph Pepin, 8846 Stewart Ave., Los Angeles, Calif. Filed Aug. 17, 1959, ser. No. 834,048 n 1 Claim. (Cl. 132-79) The present invention relates broadly to a cosmetic applicator and more specifically to a -type of applicator using a ball for the application of the cosmetic to the lips.

The inventor is aware that ball pointsr are of general usage in many devices such as pens, deodorant applicators,

3,008,476 Patented Nov.f14, 1961 ICC I may be formed from various materials although nylon eye-brow pencils, to name a few. However, ball point pens and deodorant applicators have'problems different from that faced by a ball point applicator for lip cosmetic. To illustrate, i-t is esential in ball point applicators that the lip cosmetic be suitably held within a barrel in such a manner as not to leak past the ball during rapid temperature changes, or regardless of the position assumed by the applicator, and still be immediately operable when it is desired to apply the lip cosmetic tothe lips. Furthermore, a ball point applicator must not'drag over the lips so as yto cause abrasion or soreness thereof. Most people using lip cosmetics desire initially to make a ne line lso as to outline the lips, followed by a rapid llin'g in of the lips with the cosmetic. A

The present invention accomplishes the various desired functions aboveenumer'ated in that it allows instant `appliv has been found satisfactoryrin that it does not contaminate the lip cosmetic 4. Lip cosmetics must be selected from ingredients that are non-toxic and preferably nonacid, but if such cosmetic does have an acid reaction or a pH under 7, the barrel must be formed from a material which is not attacked by the cosmetic. It is essential that the bore inside the barrel is smooth and without high or low spots which might impair movement of the piston 2. The piston 2 is preferably formed from a polyethylene due to the flexibility of this material. Thus, in FIGURE 6, by wayof example, the piston has an annular feather edge 11, the piston being of a type wherein the main body has aV conical cup 12, a base stud or priojection 13 and a tapered outer side wall 14 which side wall merges with the Aconical wall of the cup 12, thus providing a variable `thickness side wallrkwhich, as stated, terminatesv in the feather edge 11. Substantially the same structure is provided in FIGURE 4, the difference being that the cup is not as deep as the lcup shown in FIGURE 6. However, a feather edge is provided at 15. The feather edge diameter of the piston is slightly greater than the bore diameter of the *barrel 1 to the end that the feather edge is comcation of the lip ,cosmetic without unduepressure of the struction, association and relative arrangement of parts,

membersand features, all as disclosed in one embodiment in the accompanying drawing,A described generallyV and more particularly pointed outin the claimf.

In the drawing: Y

` FIGURE l is a fragmentary, partially sectionalfdetached view of the invention;l f FIGURE 2 is a sectionalV view, vonan enlarged taken on the line 2-'2 of FIGUREI;v Y,

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary, longitudinal sectional view of the barrel shown in FIGURE 2, certain parts'bfeing in changed-position;

FIGURE "4 is a sectional View on an enlarged scale of scale,

` one form of piston used in the practice of the invention;

pressed so as toV have frictional engagement with the wall bounding the bore in the barrel.- lIn actual practice I- have.

' usually is provided attits ends with inactive coils, and

Withrthe, above mentioned and other objects inA view, n as will appear yfrom the specification, tlztein'vention'con-V sists in the novel and useful provision, formation,`con

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view on the line S-Svlof FIGURE l, on an enlarged scale; and, Y

FIGURE 6 is "a longitudinal sectional view of lanother form'I of piston which maybe used in the practic'e'of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown in FIGURES l and 2 an elongated barrel 1 within which is a piston 2 of some form, such as illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 6, adapted to be mioved axially of the barrel `by a helical spring 3 so as to exert a pressure against lip cosmetic 4 to move the same forwardly toward finger piece 5 which carries tip 6, the tip rotatably supporting a ball 7. The spring 3 is held within the barrel between the piston 2 and a retainer. plug 8 formed with a central bore. The barrel 1 is positioned within a casing 9 which lis provided with a cap 10.

. The barrel 1 is substantially uniform in diameter, and may have a predetermined size and length, so as to confine a preselected amrount of lip cosmetic, which is usually a colored viscous homogeneous owing cream. The .barrel required for the spring 3 is a matterof calculation and reference is made 4to such texts as Mechanical Springs.

by Wahl, published by Penton. Thus ,the number of coils forthe spring, the diameter andV character of the spring;

wire which is usually a piano wire, may be calculated so as to move a given mass such as the cosmetic 4 of known specitic :gravity forwardly under constantly acting. pressure when the ball applicator 7,is unseated. By way of .ex-

ample, VI might say that I have continuously moved lip. cosmetic, having a specific gravity between 1.1 and-1.2, forwardlyfby the piston, using a coil spring formed-from No. 6 piano wire. The `spring pressure wasv41/z ounces' and initially there was 11/2 grams of lip `cosmeticwithin the barrel. The No. 6 piano wire spring had 29 active coils landV 5 inactivecoils at each end, the main diameter of the coils being.265 inch with a` solid height of .265 inch.

The overall length of. theihelical spring ,includ-ing the active coils and the inactive coils, was Sil/i6 inch.

The finger piece 5 has a tapered outer surface and a conica-l inner bore 16. This bore connects with taborey of uniform diameter 17. It will be noted that the base end of 18 which forms a step at 19. In the present instance the casing which surrounds Athe barrel has an external reduced diameter portion 20 which engages and surrounds the sleeve 18 and is of a thickness so as to form a iiush outer surface engagement with the linger piece 5. The barrell 1 is forced within the tapered bore 16 of the finger piece. It has been found that this is suicient to hold the barrel in working engagement with the finger piece without leakage of the lip cosmetic between the bar-rel and the sleeve 18 of the finger piece. The tip 6 has a uniform diameter portion 21 which has close fit engagement with the uniform diameter portion 17 of the finger piece, The external surface of the, tip is ofconical form at 22 so as to be flush with the conical surface of finger piece 5 and the bore of the said tip is of uniform diameter, as shown. The ball 7 ts Within a socket in the tip 6, the tip being breached at 23 so as to overlie a small circle of the ball 7 to hold the ball within the socket. The ball has at least .001 of yan inch play within the socket with the result that when the ball is in its forward position, as shown in FIGURE 2,

it seats and thus prevents flow of lip cosmetic 4 under pressure past said ball. The slight play allowed the ball within the socket is suicient, lwhen the ball is pressed inwardly to 'unseat the same, to allow the ball to rotate readily and during rotation carry on the periphery thereof, lip cosmetic for application to the lips. Preferably the ball 7 is formedt from glass, or Pyrex the periphery of which is frosted. Metal balls are not satisfactory in the practice of my invention as the ball must be truly spherical, not oxidizable nor effected by the ingredients ofy the lip cosmetic. The interstices provided by the frosted surface of the ball permits the lip cosmetic to adhere to the ball vfor ready application to the lips. Thus in the showing of my invention, I have found that a ball having Ia diameter of .1562 inch is satisfactory when the other dimensions and pressures previously given are adhered to. One-half ounce pressure inwardly against the ball is suiiicient to unseat it. Y

The operation, ruses and advantages ofthe invention are as follows.

In the beginning I enumerated several features of the present applicator which I- deem to be novel in this art. Briefly, the applicator does not leak when not in use, the lip cosmetic is easily applied to the lips withk slightpres- The central hole inthe retainer plug 8 allows the barrel to the rear of the piston to be under atmospheric pressure, and the casing may be provided with a small hole if .found necessary. r

The construction is such that only the feather edge of the piston engages the barrel, thus lessening drag therebetween. The lip cosmetic is received in thebellmouth portion of the piston 2, which causes outward expansion of the piston wall and assures against' leakage between sure on the ball applicator, and there is a constant feeding of the lip cosmetic to the ball applicator and in such a manner that substantially all of the lip cosmeticv in the barrel is used thereby preventing waste thereof. Further, the

materials used in the construction of this applicator are such as to be trouble free and without contaminating the lip cosmetic. As I have previously pointed out, the number of coils for the helical spring 3 is a matter of calculation, based on thefact that the lip cosmetic preferably has a specific` gravity of from 1.1 to 1.2. Usually in applicators of the type described,V approximately one and one-half grams of lip cosmetic is used. The cosmetic having the specific gravity named, must be a viscous homogeneous flowing type cream. The conical wall 16 0f the finger piece 5 acts to direct thek lip cosmetic forwardly toward the ball applicator 7 without creating pockets which might hinder the even flow of the lip cosmetic to the ball. The specific gravity of the lip cosmetic being known, the spring pressure against the piston may be calculated so that the ball 7 may be unseated within the tip socket under light pressure of say, one-half ounce. I have foundV that the yinitial starting pressure which must be exerted by the spring against the piston to move the lip cosmetic, is approximately 45 grams and that the spring requires approximately 130 grams to fully compress theV same. It is important that the ballapplicator readily r0- tate within the socket of the tip and I have determined that a clearance in the socket of, .001 inch is suicient.

the feather edge and the barrel. Thus cosmetic is not received back of the piston, which might impair spring action.

I claim: Y

A lip cosmetic applicator including: a finger piece having a central internal conical bore merging at each end into a cylindrical bore, one cylindrical bore being larger than the other, a tip secured to. said iinger piece in the smaller. cylindrical bore and communicating with the conical bore, the outer end of said tip being formed with a socket, a ball within said socket, a barrelk having a cylindrical bore, one end of the` barrel having a pressedv lit engagement extending within the larger Cylindrical bore of the linger piece,`the opposite end of said barrel. pro.- vided with a retainer plus having a hole, therethrough. a

piston within said barrel, said piston having a main por.

tion smaller in diameter than thel bore of the barrel and a head provided with a bell mouth with a central sphere oidal bottom merging into. a yfeather edge having a wiping engagement with the bore of the barrel, a coil spring of a diameter about equal to itssolid length when compressed between the piston and the retainer Plug, the

space betweeny the piston head and the ball being filled. with a viscous homogeneous flowing cosmetic, the said spring being so formed as at all times to exert sufficient compressive pressure against the pistonto move theQQS.' metic toward the ball and the ball unseatingwithin the socket of the tip under a pressure of less than one-half Ounce, whereby e thin margin line of cosmetic may be discharged as a desired outline and later a greater supply of cosmetic may be discharged upon application of a greater pressure on the free surface of the ball, making itV easier` to lill in the space on the lips outlinedby the line line margin.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,089,683 Stapler Mar. 10, 1914 2,598,493 `Begin et al. May 27, 1952 2,606,529 Wagner Aug, l2, 1952 FOREIGN` PATENTS 379,945 France Sept. 23, 19,07 613,408 Great Britain Nov. 2,9, 1948 976,703 France Nov. 1, 1950 998,671 France Sept. 26, 1951 1,001,756 France Feb. 27, 1952 1,027,093 France Feb. 11, 1953 1,033,092 Germany June 26, 1958 1,138,908 France Feb. 4, 1957 1,157,099 France Dec. 23,v 

